Australian troops handing over to Afghans

AUSTRALIA has reached another milestone in Afghanistan with all four Afghan National Army (ANA) infantry kandaks (battalions) now deemed capable of operating independently of Australian mentors.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the start of independent operations by the ANA 4th Brigade Infantry kandaks was a significant step in the process of transition to Afghan-led security responsibility in Oruzgan Province over the next year.

He said Australia had now transferred control of joint forward operating bases and patrol bases in Oruzgan Province to the 4th Brigade.

"Australian troops are no longer operating from forward operating bases or patrol bases in Oruzgan Province and have consolidated their presence at the multinational Base Tarin Kowt," he said in a statement.

"The Australian Defence Force (ADF) Task Group is shifting emphasis from partnering and mentoring at kandak level to advising at headquarters 4th Brigade level and at the Afghan Operational Co-ordination Centre - Provincial in Oruzgan."

With that comes a change in task group, with the Townsville-based 3rd Battalion (3RAR) handing over to the South Australian-based 7RAR and preparing to return home.

In a Transfer of Authority ceremony in Tarin Kowt on Tuesday, Australia's mission officially changed from mentoring to advising.

Mr Smith said the 2010 Lisbon NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Summit agreed to transition to Afghan-led security responsibility in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

The 2012 Chicago NATO/ISAF Summit agreed to a post-2014 transition mission to train, advise and assist Afghan National Security Forces.

Mr Smith said this did not mean the end of a role for Australian troops in Afghanistan, with the ADF continuing to advise the 4th Brigade's two combat support and logistics kandaks.

"The ADF task group will remain combat ready to assist Afghan Forces should the need arise and the Special Operations Task Group will continue to conduct partnered combat operations to disrupt the insurgency," he said.

The commander of Combined Team Oruzgan, Colonel Simon Stuart, said this marked the end of the mentoring process and the transition to operational support.

"We are nationally focused on the 4th Brigade and this marks the culmination of a whole lot of hard work as well as some blood that's been spilt in bringing the Afghans up to a standard where they can do the job themselves," he said in a statement.

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